Thoughts on Seattle @ Green Bay as it happens

August 23rd, 2013 | Written by Rob Staton

It was good to see the two tight ends getting involved on the opening drive. Loved the throw to Luke Willson against the blitz — a quick strike for big yardage. Veteran quarterbacks love the blitz for plays like this. Russell Wilson is starting to take advantage.

Wilson’s throw to Doug Baldwin down the middle for 27 yards was beautiful. Great arm strength and accuracy. Wilson looked incredibly sharp to begin.

Robert Turbin against Clay Matthews is a mismatch, but Turbin didn’t put up a fight on the sack that stalled the drive. Seattle took the points after that, running Turbin for an easier kick.

Aaron Rodgers already looks in mid-season form. Oh no. Michael Bennett down injured. One of Seattle’s key performers in pre-season and an absolute necessity for the defensive line is hurt. Fingers crossed. (He eventually returns to the game unscathed).

Red Bryant is lining up inside. Benson Mayowa is in with the #1’s again — they really want a good look at this guy. O’Brien Schofield is the other defensive end.

Green Bay waltzed into Seattle territory but the drive stalls. I liked the call on third down. Mayowa stunted inside with a linebacker (I think K.J. Wright?) blitzing. Mayowa did just enough to get into Rodgers eye line and force a slight overthrow. No disrespect to Mayowa, but I immediately imagined Bruce Irvin and Cliff Avril on this call and wondered how dangerous that would be.

If teams are circling Seattle waiting to prey on their cuts, it’s hard to imagine Mayowa making the practise squad. If they want to stash him, they might have to find a place for him in the 53. At the end of the day, who would you rather lose? Mayowa and his potential, or a linebacker?

On Seattle’s second drive, J.R. Sweezy got an earful from Pete Carroll after an avoidable personal foul penalty. He sat out a play. Carroll was letting rip.

You can tell this is pre-season. If this was a regular season game, Seattle would be using the read option. The 49ers destroyed Green bay with it in the playoffs.

Mike Person is being used at tight end as an extra blocker. I’m yet to see one play where having this extra blocker has been a benefit. In fact most of the time one of the lineman is stood with nothing to do, watching the play. At times they’re running this instead of a full back. This is another reason why Michael Robinson is a vital piece of this offense. He isn’t playing today due to illness.

Aaron Rodgers is done for the day after one drive. OK. Bet the TV crew are delighted.

Great play by Mike Morgan to end Green Bay’s second drive — getting a step on his blocker then getting a hand on Harrell’s pass. The kind of play he needs to make tonight, especially if Mayowa flashes.

Russell Wilson stays in and aims a pass at Stephen Williams. He can’t make the grab, but it was catchable. Then Sweezy gets his second flag of the night for a hold. He’ll be in the doghouse soon. That’s three penalties for 35 yards so far. The Seahawks can’t recover. After a nice long drive to start, the penalties are causing damage.

Bruce Irvin comes onto the field and instantly makes a fantastic play against the run. Big loss. Runs through traffic. Frustratingly it doesn’t end the drive, thanks to a screen and a quick pass from Harrell. It should end moments later though — this has to be a fumble. Carroll challenges another catch a strip, this time by Earl Thomas. The refs rule the receiver down by contact, which he was not.

Fourth penalty. 4/40. False start against Russell Okung. Christine Michael is in. Michael Bowie comes in at left guard. WILSON INTERCEPTION. An increasingly lethargic offense coughs up a pick. Wilson’s pass is tipped and after a bit of juggling it’s snagged by the Packers.

The Packers drive into the red zone and go for it on fourth down, Harrell finds Finley who apparently scores and goes for a Lambeau Leap. The ball clearly hit the turf on replay. For some reason it takes an age for the refs to make a decision, but alas they make the right one. Seahawks ball on the 4-yard line.

Since a smart opening drive, the starting offense has just been lousy. They haven’t been able to run, Wilson is forcing it. He has a second pick throwing it to Baldwin downfield. It looked like #89 just hesitated on his route, but the throw was into a very tight window with two defensive backs in range. Very un-Wilson like.

HALF TIME – 3-3 – and it’s scrappy. Yet in a much needed moment of hilarity, Marshawn Lynch chases his fellow California alumni Aaron Rodgers and mocks his moustache.

Seattle had six penalties for 75 yards in the first half. That problem isn’t going away.

Tony McDaniel has looked great. He started the second half with a big run play. I’d make a calculated guess that he’ll start in week one. The run defense has been superb tonight.

Welcome to Seahawks football, Christine Michael. The rookie scores on a 43-yard run to make it 10-3. He had a hole the size of Africa to run through, but turned a big play into a touchdown thanks to some neat footwork and good downfield blocking from Jermaine Kearse. Just before that the penalty count ticked over to 8/100. Carroll will be fuming.

Make it 9/115. An eight yard loss on a run play turns into 15 yards and a first down after a late hit from John Lotulelei. It’s crucial, as Vince Young leads a scoring drive for 10-10. If anything the penalty issue is getting worse, not better.

Michael has shown enough in this game to warrant the #2 running back gig. I want to see this guy spelling Lynch. If pass pro is an issue, have Turbin handle third downs.

Brady Quinn replaced Wilson in the second half and just does not look good at all. He’s struggling to deal with pressure, he’s holding onto the ball too long. On this evidence Seattle keeps two quarterbacks again this year and they’ll be Wilson and Tarvaris Jackson.

False start Alvin Bailey. 12/140. Can you tell how exciting this second half is? We’re sat waiting for the end, counting penalties.

Brady Quinn just fired to a wide open Arceto Clark, showed zero touch drilling it in there and nearly cost the team a first down. He dumps the next one off to Christine Michael who wakes everyone up with an explosive play. And then a third pass is tossed into the end zone, with Stephen Williams making a nice grab fighting against a defensive back. 17-10.

Sealver Siglia got a good sack against the Green Bay third stringers. Fought up through the middle and pursued to get to B.J. Coleman — Green Bay’s #4 quarterback. A pass interference play negates an interception and makes it 13 penalties for 172 yards. It’s a terrible call on Will Blackmon.

Winston Guy does force a turnover on the next play forcing a fumble with a super hit. Mayowa recovers the football.

If that ball wouldn’t’ve come out when Winston Guy hit Stoneburner, we’d be asking for his head.
That was a shoddy ass play. He didn’t wrap up at all and probably would’ve cost us a touchdown had the Green Bay TE held onto the ball.

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